Big 12's updated discriminatory conduct policy draws scrutiny over in-game penalty authority
The Big 12 Conference updated its discriminatory conduct policy with harsher penalties following repeated anti-Mormon chants at games involving BYU, including a $100,000 fine levied against UCF after fans chanted during a late October matchup. The revised policy includes automatic fines, formal warnings, ejections, and season-long bans from athletic events for offenders, and also threatens an on-field competitive penalty — such as a 15-yard unsportsmanlike flag in football — for a second confirmed incident during the same game. Football rules analyst Terry McAulay publicly challenged the conference's authority to impose that last measure, arguing that NCAA football rules do not permit penalizing a team for spectator conduct, since fans are not among those persons subject to the rulebook. The Big 12 had not responded to McAulay's criticism as of the time of publication, but reaffirmed its commitment to a respectful environment for athletes, coaches, and fans.
Fan conduct such as this is not subject to the rules and penalizing a team 15-yards is not authorized under NCAA Football rules.
Why it matters
For brands: Corporate sponsors and partners associated with Big 12 events may face reputational exposure if discriminatory chant incidents escalate or generate sustained national attention.
For coaches: Coaches at Big 12 institutions may need to take an active role in crowd management to avoid automatic fines and potential in-game penalties under the updated policy.
For athletes: Student-athletes at Big 12 schools could face in-game competitive consequences — such as a 15-yard penalty — triggered by their own fans' behavior, a precedent with direct on-field implications.
Read the full story at Yahoo Sports college football
Sources
- Yahoo Sports college football: More than fines? Big 12's plan to stop anti-Mormon chants questioned